Dispenser with spring pressed follower



Sept. 22, 1953 w. K. MAR'rlN DISPENSER WITH SPRING PRESSED FOLLOWER Filed 001'.. 27, 1949 5 Fig.

=l Wil/fab? K. Morfn I N VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 DISPENSER WITH SPRING PRESSED FOLLOWER William K. Martin, Cliff, N. Mex., assignor of onethird to Fred W. Foster, Cliff, N. Mex.

Application October 27, 1949, Serial No. 123,842

(Cl. Z22- 95) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to novel and useful im.- provements in dental apparatus.

An object of this invention is to dispense a charge of tooth paste into or between thin bristles of a number of bristles disposed at the end of the shank of the tooth brush, which shank has a passage therein in order to conduct the charge of material; said charge of material being controlled by a manually operable valve disposed in the passage whereby upon operation of the valve dental cream is urged outwardly through the passage and between the bristles of the brush.

Another object of this invention is to maintain a pliable tube of dental cream under pressure by constant urging of a piston which is carried in a hollow handle attached to said shank so that as soon as the valve is operated. to the passage opening position, a charge of dental cream under pressure is urged through the passage.

Another object of this invention is to fabricate the handle in a pair of separable sections so that the tube of dentifrice may be maintained therein, and to releasably hold the piston in one position during the time that the tube isy inserted in the hollow handle to facilitate this operation.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent in following the description of the illustrative form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational View of the device;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the device shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a transverse View taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of the locking device, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of the Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the handle and valve mechanism, a large portion being shown in section to illustrate detail of construction; and,

Figure '7 is an enlarged plan View of a part of the handle and valve as well as locking mechanisms.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary bottom view of a part of the brush.

The instant invention deals with devices for automatically dispensing a charge of tooth paste between and in the bristles of a tooth brush.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a shank I0 with bristles I2 at one end thereof and a passage or passageway I4 passed longitudinally through the shank I0. The passage opens at one end in a port I6 into and between the bristles I2, while the other end opens into a bore I 8 wherein the handle is generally indicated at 2E). This handle is composed of a pair of separable sections 22 and 24 which are connected together by means of the threads 26 formed on the reduced end portion of the sections.

A valve plate 28 is slidable in a slot 30 formed at the junction of the shank Il) and the section 22. A recess 32 formed in the section 22 accommodates the valve operator arm or lever 34. This lever is pivoted on a pin 36 and has a fingergrip 49 integral therewith. -The valve plate 28 is secured to the lever 34 by means of a pivotal connection.

Means resiliently opposing the operation of the lever 34 and hence the valve 28 is provided. This means is preferably a coil spring 44 reacting on the section 22 and the under surface of the lever 34, and centered by the pins 46 and 48 which are secured to the section 22 and the lever 34 respectively.

As shown in Figure 2, a pliable tube of dentrifrice 5I] or a detergent is disposed in the bore I8. The normally threaded end 52 of the tube is disposed in suitable threads provided at the junction of the passage I4 and the bore i8. This holds the tube disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle 20.

Means constantly applying a pressure to the pliable tube and hence the cream therein is provided. This means consists preferably of a piston 5S which has a skirt 58 depending therefrom. The piston is slidable in the bore I 8 and is adapted to press against one end of the tube 5t.

A spring 6l) which forms a means for constantly urging the piston axially in the bore I8 is provided. This spring reacts on the closed end 62 of the section 24 and on the under surface of the piston 56.

Means releasably holding the piston in one position in the bore is provided. The utility of this means is to maintain the piston inwardly of the section 24 while the tube 50 is inserted in the handle. A pair of identical locking devices are employed in this purpose.

Each locking device consists of a keeper arm 64 which is pivoted in a recess 66 formed in the sec- 3 tion 24. The projection 68 formed on` the keeper arm 64 passes through an opening in the section 24 and also into an opening 'IU formed in the skirt 5B of the piston.

A small leaf spring "I6 is secured in the recess 66 and has a portion thereof bearing against an extension 16 or a suitable part of the keeper arm 64. The spring is arranged to urge the projection 68 downwardly though the apertures in order to hold the piston inwardly of the section 24. It is only necessary to manually release both locking devices by pressing downwardly on the extension 'I6 of each against the opposing force of the spring 16. This releases the piston 56 so that the spring 60 exerts a force thereagainst, compressing the pliable tube 59 and urging the contents of the tube through the passageway I4, as controlled by the valve 2S.

When it is desired therefor to discharge a quantity of material from the tube 50, it is only necessary to press the lever 34 downwardly to open the passageway. As soon as the desired quantity of material is intermingled with the bristles l2, the lever 34 is released allowing the spring .44 to return it, which return is reflected with closing operation of the valve plate 28.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a dental device which includes an elongated shank with a longitudinal passage in it to deliver tooth paste and a handle fixed to the shank, a springy closed valve carried by said handie adjacent one end thereof and arranged to control said passage, the improvement comprising a first section and a second section constituting said handle, said first section having a bore which opens outwardly through the end thereof, said second section having a bore which is arranged to communicate with the first mentioned bore, means for releasably fastening said sections together, said second section having a closed end wall, said second section having an aperture in the side Wall thereof adjacent to said closed end wall, a spring loaded keeper mounted pivotally within said aperture, a piston disposed in said bores and adapted to compress a tube in said bores, a spring reacting upon and contacting one surface of said piston and the inside surface of saidl closed end wall of said second section, said piston having a skirt with an opening therein, and said keeper being removably disposed in the opening in said piston skirt to thereby hold said piston in one position within said section and to thereby hold said spring compressed between said piston and said closed end wall when placing a tube of tooth paste in said bores;v

2. 1n a dental device, a combination handle '4 and tooth-paste dispenser comprising rst and second cylindrical sections detachably secured to one another, said first section having a small bore in one end thereof and a large counterbore opening into the other end thereof and communieating with said small bore, a spring urged valve mounted intermediate the ends of said lirst section and normally closing said small bore, the portion of said small bore adjacent said counterbore being enlarged and threaded to constitute a socket for receiving the nozzle of a toothpaste tube, said second section having a bore of substantially the same diameter as said counterbcre opening into the end thereof secured to said first section, the other end of said second section being closed, said second section having an aperture therein adjacent said closed end, a spring loaded keeper mounted pivotally within said aperture and projecting into the bore of said second section, a piston slidably disposed in said second section bore and adapted to compress a tube of toothpaste disposed in said second section, a spring reacting upon and contacting one surface of said piston and the inside of said second section closed end, a guide skirt on said piston for guiding the same through said sections upon release of the spring, said skirt having an opening therein engaged by said spring loaded keeper to lock the piston in said second section to permit the insertion of a tube of toothpaste in said sections.

WILLIAM K. MARTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 767,469 Ziegler et al. Aug. 16, 1904 818,000 `Stevenson Apr. 17, 1906 995,769 Coleman June 20, 1911 1,119,033 Paddock Dec. 1, 1914 1,325,268 lSosdian Dec. 16, 1919 1,333,268 Masaites Mar. 9, 1920 1,362,937 Grace Dec. 2l, 1920 1,880,354 Mueller Oct. 4, 1932 1,896,982 Talbot Feb. 7, 1933 1,913,466 Ackermans June 13, 1933 2,096,397 Harris Oct. 19, 1937 2,199,922 McManis et al May 7, 1940 2,425,474 Hussey Aug. l2, 1947 2,471,852 Bau May 31, 1949 2,506,833 Hunter May 9, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 34,286 Netherlands July 16, 1934 181,671 Canada Jan 22, 1918 380,018 Italy Apr. 16, 1940 

